If I can train with a heavier ball, then when I go back to the regulation size and weight I should be able to just "kill it".
It makes sense right?
Get stronger by using heavier loads doing the same motion as your sport skill, it is basic strength training science.
Although this is a really good idea in many circumstances (i.e. trying to copy or mimic exactly what you do in your sport with heavier loads) it may not always be a good idea.
One thought process I recently heard which I like and makes sense is (paraphrased from an audio interview of Coach Nick Tumminello - http://nicktumminello.com):
If the sport skill requires lots of accuracy (like Water Polo passing/shooting, golf swing, basketball shot) then you need to be extremely careful with loading that skill, if you even load it at all.
But if the sport skill does not require a lot of accuracy (like a vertical jump whether on land or in water) then loading that sport skill can be much more aggressive and beneficial.
It has long been accepted that doing weighted squat jumps is one of the best exercises for improving your on-land vertical jump. A vertical jump doesn't require lots of accuracy, it is a fairly crude movement when compared to something like a golf swing or throwing a ball.
This is one reason I am not a big fan of trying to mimic the shooting motion in the weight room. Best case you only waist your time but worst case you really screw up your sport skill.
I am a strong believer in getting strong with the basic movements first regardless of your sport.
I have written about Deadlifts before and it might just be the best exercise for everyone regardless of sport. It is one those strength exercises that you can positively say "just do this!".
With respect to Water Polo, there are heavy Water Polo balls on the market and I do believe they have a use on-land and in the water. But it depends with who and what you specifically do which will greatly determine if it becomes a positive or negative training adaptation.
This subject is very interesting to me and a recent study I just read used Handball players training not with a heavier ball but with a lighter ball!
They had two groups of athletes, one trained with the normal handball while the other trained with a handball that was 20% lighter.
"The results showed that training with lighter balls could improve the performance of throwing more than using normal balls."
"These findings are in agreement with previous studies that involve similar movements of other sports and suggest that the decreased resistance during training that involves ballistic movements can be advantageous for the player’s performance ..."
Skoufas D, Stefanidis P, Michailidis C, Hatzikotoulas K & Kotzamandou M. The Effect of Handball Training with Underweighted Balls on the Throwing Velocity of Novice Handball Players. JHMS, 2002
Performing ballistic movements with a light load can improve your strength; primarily starting and speed strength.
It is believed by some coaches that the mechanism at work is more one of inhibition.
What does this mean?
The human body is extremely strong and powerful. It is so powerful that if you were able to generate your true maximum force that you would probably end up breaking bones, rupturing tendons and tearing ligaments.
In strength trained athletes, they may be able to use only 35-40% of the available motor units, which means there is great room for improvement (non-strength trained athletes would be less).
So, it is believed that when lifting these light loads extremely fast you take the bodies safety brakes off a bit and thereby the athlete is able to recruit a higher number of motor units and ultimately generate more force.
From a training perspective, there is a little more to it then that because lifting heavy loads has a similar effect.
Something to consider whether to use light, heavy or a combination of both in your training is the actual movement you are training. It comes back to whether the skill (movement) does or doesn't require a high degree of accuracy.
In Water Polo that may mean doing a combination of both heavy and light resistance with your on-land training (example heavy deadlifts & jump squats; heavy push ups & medicine ball throws) but sticking with the regulation ball most of the time for your pool training.
There are exercises with the heavy ball in the pool that can be used with most athletes. One that I like is the 2-hand overhead throw; great for the legs especially if passing in partners and always keeping your hands out of the water.
What is your experience with training with heavy Water Polo balls or do you even use them?
Please write about your experience in the comment section below.
Thank You & Be Well,
Michael Reid, B.HE, CSCS, RKC
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